Flow control device



April 16,v 1935. 1 CHlLDREsS 1,998,074

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1935, ll H, CHlLDREss 1,998,074

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Innere/ZEW: dme f1/Kaff@ Y while the valves in another branch are open. '40

Patented Apr. 1'6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Ware Application January 28, 1931, Serial No. 511,763

2 Claims.

This invention pertains to fluid ow controlling or restricting devices and, more particularly, so far as one valuable use is concerned, to flow restricting or control devices for iiowing oil wells. Such devices, commonly known as flow-beans may be said to partake of some of the characteristics of a valve but unlike most valves, they do not function to stop or shut-off the fluid ow; instead they merely restrict or control the flow of oil and gas and serve to maintain a back pressure or head on these uids on the up-stream side of the device. While the invention will be found useful in other elds than the field of oil production, it nds one of its most important and advantageous uses in the latter field, for which reason it will be illustrated and described in its ap- -plication thereto.

Many ilowing oil wells produce a large quantity of sand with-the oil. This sand, because of its abrasive action, quickly scores and cuts away the hardest metal with which it comes in contact. As a consequence it has been found impractical to control or restrict the ilow of such wells with ordinary valves so Christmas trees and flowbeans have come into use as a practical solution `for the diiculty. It is common practiceto provide the flow-pipe or casing, bringing the oil from the well, with a number of branches, each equipped with shut-off valves (high and low pressure) and a replaceable section or connection carrying a flow-bean. 'I'he flow-beans are placed down stream from the shut-01T valves and between the valves and a flow-line to a flow station, a settling tank or other place of disposal for the oil and in some instances the branch pipes may all connect with a single iiow line to the same place of oil disposal. With an arrangement, such as last mentioned, the valves in one branch will be closed When, however, the flow-bean in the operating branch is worn out (ground away by sand ilow) that branch is shut down and another branch opened, the ilrst now-bean being replaced whilel flow-beans as fast as they wore out, the man working continuously, iirst closing the valves in one branch line and opening the valves in another, then'replacing the now-bean in the iirst line, then opening the valves in the iirst branch and closing the valves in the second, then replacing the flow-bean in the second branch, and so on, for indeiinite periods of time. Such arrangements and methods are not only costly and difficult but are objectionable for many other reasons; yet to my knowledge, at this writing, no one prior to my invention has devised a satisfactory means or method to replace them.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an arrangement and a device whereby the flow-beansmay be replaced and renewed, cheaply, quickly and with a minimum of labor and whereby, if it should be desired, the ordinary Christmas tree or considerable portions thereof may be omitted or rendered unnecessary.

Many other objects, as Well as thev advantages, uses and purposes of the invention will be or should become apparent to those skilled in the art, after reading the description and the claims and after viewing the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section and somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention and its application to v one form of well head equipment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged and elevational view of vthe form of the invention illustrated inFig. 1.

Neither the details of this construction nor the arrangement thereof, nor the details of the inner casing B, the flow tube 1 andthe coupling devices 8 and 9, have any special connection with the invention and have been shown and are here described merely for the purpose of providing a setting, the better to depict the embodiment of the invention chosen for exempliiicatiomtlndeed these parts and the arrangement as thus far described, together with the drilling-through valve II shown in the casing, constitute merely one form of hook-up which may beencountered and for such reason it should be understood that the invention is not limited in any way therebybut is of broad application to hook-ups bearing no resemblance to the present one.

In ordinary practice, a pipe I2 leads into a. cross rfitting, such as that designated I3, from which branches I4 and I 5 lead off through valves I3 and I1 respectively, to the same or diilerent flow lines leading to one or more ilow stations from which the oilis led to storage or to some other place of disposal. In some cases pipe I2 may be continued on upwardly and connected with another cross iltting, from which branch pipes again lead off after the manner just described. Very often the top opening of the top cross iitting will be closed by what is commonly known as a bull plug, such as that designated I3, to which a pressure gauge I3 may be connected. A rig or arrangement such as that thus far, described, is commonly known as a Christmas tree, the aptness oi which expression is at once apparent.

With my invention, it may be unnecessary to have more than onebranch pipe or flow line and ii the Christmas tree is already constructed, I may close on all branch lines but one by the use of bull plugs, as is illustrated at 2I, or in any Vother suitable manner. However, it may be desirable to have no interruption to the flow in which case there may be several flow lines in operation. A short length of pipe or a nipple 22 is connected to the valve I1 and a coupling 23 may connect my invention which, in the form illustrated, is generally designated 24, with the pipe or nipple 22 and into the flow line. If it be desired to prevent even a short interruption to flow during the changing of beans, another of the devices 24 may be connected in the line leading from the valve I6, in which case one will be in operation while the other is being changedor repaired.

'I'he device 24 comprises a heavy steel or other suitable metal body 25y formed in the shape of a* cross, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, and bored through along the axis of the arms of the cross to provide bores 26 and 21 at right angles to one another. A riser, boss or ange 23, forming one arm, and a riser, boss, or ange 23, forming an opposite arm, may be suitably threaded, as shown at 30 and 3I respectively, for connection in the iiow line, but they may be coupled in the flow line in any other suitable manner. 'I'he bore through the riser 23, the iiow being from left to right in Fig. 3, preferably converges inwardly toward the bore 21, as indicated at 32, to provide with the rest of the ow passage, etc. a venturi, while the cross bore 21 is counter bored in the risers or flanges 33 and 34, to provide stuiiing bosses or packing recesses 35 and 36 respectively.

Within the bore 21, a core or bar, or plunger,

as it may be variously termed, and generally designated 31, is tightly but slidably or reciprocably mounted. This plunger, in the present embodiment, is of cylindrical shape but obviously it may be of any shape in cross section satisfactory for the purposes it is to serve although practical diiilculties may be encountered in making it f other than cylindrical external contour.

Packing 33 is placed within the stuiilng bosses and' is held in place by glands 33 and 4I, which are the plunger is provided with a collar 43, which may be pinned thereto, as by a pin 49, the collar acting to limit movement of the plunger in one direction and the head 42 acting to limit its movement in the opposite direction.

'Ihe plunger is transversely bored along parallel axes to provide passages 5I and 52, each of which is adapted to be axially aligned with the axis of the bore 26. Each-of the passages`5| and 52 is provided with a circumferentially extending shoulder 53 against which one side of a flowbean or choke disc 54, 54', respectively, rests and is removably positioned, the choke discs being held in place by removable locking rings 55, threadedly engaged with threads formed in the passages 5I and 52. Each choke disc has a central oriiice 56 through which the oil iiows from the well to the ilow station and the passages 5I and 52 are spaced apart a distancegreater than the axial distance between the axis of the bore 26 and the outerends of the glands 39 and 4 I, assuming that the outer ends of the glands 39 and 4I are at the same distance from the axis of the bore 26. 'I'his spacing of the choke discs of how-beans must be such that each becomes accessible from the outside as the plunger is reciprocated between its extreme limits of movement. It may be desirable to have the ilow from right to left, viewing Fig. 3, to relieve the stress which may other- Wise be placed on the threads of the rings 55 and to throw the pressure load directly upon the shoulders 53, but this matter may be left to those skilled in the art. l

The stem 41 passes through an aperture 51 formed in a yoke, the arms53 and 59 of which may straddle and be secured to the body portion 25 as by stud-bolts 6I. Mounted upon the top of this yoke is a second yoke 62 with a central aperture within which an internally threaded bushing 63 is secured, for threaded engagement with the threads of thestem 41, while a hand wheel 34 is secured to the upper end of the stem and rotates therewith. It will be observed that as the hand wheel is rotated in the direction of the arrow R, the threads onvthe stem 41, being right hand threads, the plunger 31 will be drawn or raised up to interpose the choke disc or owbean 54 in the flow line and the flow-bean 54 will be moved to an accessible place outside of the boss or riser 33, as illustrated in Fig. 3, for removal and replacement, whereas, if the plunger is at its uppermost limit, rotation of the hand wheel 34 in the direction of arrow L lowers the plunger interposing the now-bean 54 in the iiow line and projecting the flow-bean 54 beyond the limits of the boss or riser 34, so that it may be removed and replaced. When two of the devices 24 are used and a change of beans is desirable or necessary, the one not operating will be set in operation before or simultaneously with the shutting down of the other so that there may be no interruption to the well flow but, of course, other methods of operation may be used.

Inasmuch as the construction in the illustrated embodiment is such that the stem rotates as it rises, some means must be provided to prevent rotation of the plunger 31, which in the present form is cylindrical, because rotation o! the plunger would displace the flow-beans out of alignment with the bore or passage 23. To this end a fork shaped guide member 65 is suitably secured to thetop of the head 42 of the plunger with its arms embracing the arm 53 of the lower yoke. As the plunger reciprocates, the arms of the member 35 bear against the sides of the arm 53 and prevent the plungerfrom working ,out of alignment., Resort maybe had to other arrangements to prevent 'rotation of the plunger. The plunger and the'bore 'maybe made other than circular in transverse cross section or, ii it be desired to maintain the hand -`wheel B4 at one level at all times, the hand wheel'maybe threadedly engaged with the stem for `rotation with respect thereto and provided with a suitable thrust collar for' engagement. with"upp"r and lower thrust bearing surfaces secured to o'r Iormingpart of the 'yoke 62.v In this latter case the stem will not rotate and may be non-rotatably secured to the plunger 31, but have a longitudinal key-way formed along substantially its entire length for engagement with a key which may be secured to the walls defining the-aperture 51 or in a lower portion of the yoke 62, below -the thrust bearings therein to prevent rotation of the stem. Other arrangements to ths'afsameend will be apparent to those skilled'in the art. A

The advantages of myfin'vention should be apparent. pIt is a comparatively simple operation when-one now-bean has become worn through the cutting actionof sand to remove and replace the bean while the rst isrbeing used. The choke 'or bean changes can be eiected against the pressure and the ow without loss of oil,A the changes can be effected very rapidly in `a simple and eco` nomical operation in the Vformillustrated, the choke disc is the only part of the assembly which is subject to wear and can'be made and replaced very cheaply, and the device eiects considerable savings in material andparts, actually permitting, it desired, the elimination of numerous parts heretofore used in Christmas tree design. If it be desired to replace.. any ,choke-with chokes having larger orifices, .thismay be done; and, if it be found expedient to provide more than two choke passages through the plunger 31, this also may be done without difliculty.

While I have illustrated and described a. preferred form of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention may assume many other forms and that the form illustrated may be considerably modified in various respects. Consequently, I do not desire to be limited except by the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l t

1. A now controlling device comprising a body member having a fluid passageway therethrough, a movable plunger intersecting said passageway between its ends, said plunger having two adjacently spaced openings therethrough adapted toregister with said'iluid passageway and establish communication between the ends thereof upon predetermined movement of said plunger, the spacing between the two openings being sufdcient to close communication between the ends of said fluid passageway and to permit the adjacent opening to extend to the exterior of the body member when the other opening has regis--A tered with the iiuid passageway, an orice-containing member removably secured in each of said openings, a yoke attached to the body member, a threaded stem operatively engaging said yoke for operating the plunger, a means attached to one end of the plunger and coacting with the yoke for preventing rotation of the plunger as it moves into an operative position, and a removable means on the other end of the plunger for limiting the movement of said plunger.

2. A ilow controlling device comprising a bodyl member having a uid passageway therethrough, a movable plunger intersecting said'passageway between its ends, said plunger having two adjacently spaced openings'therethrough adapted to register with said uid passageway and establish communication between the ends thereof upon predetermined movement of said plunger, the spacing between Ythe two openings being suiiicient to close communication between the ends of said fluid passageway and topermit the adiacent opening to extend to the exterior of the body member when the otheropening has registered with the iiuid passageway, an oritice-containing member removably secured in each of said openings, a yoke attached to the body member, a means operatively engaging said yoke for operating the plunger, a means attachedl to one end of the plunger for preventing rotation of the plunger as it moves into an operative position, and a means on the other end of the plunger 

